Water heater



NOV. 10, 1936. STERICK 2,060,452

WATER HEATER Filed Jan. 19, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet l WITNESSES NOV. 10, 1936. H, STERICK 2,060,452 WATER HEATER Filed Jan. 19, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ll lVENTOR I mmsmq $744k. AM 7 m,

wn'uzssea 4i Patented Nov. 10, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in water heating and storage systems, and it is among the objects thereof to provide a water heating system which shall combine the features of a storage tank with the coil structure of an instantaneous heater.

A further object of the invention is the provision of means for utilizing the heat of the burner to obtain maximum efficiency and to absorb substantially all of the heat generated at the burner without any loss through the stack.

Another object of the invention is the provision of means for reducing the loss of heat by radiation, such means embodying a plurality of housings in spaced relation whereby the air spaces therein effect eiiicient insulation against the loss of heat.

Still a further object of the invention is the provision of a valve structure which shall be 20 automatic in its function and responsive to the flow of water from the heater to the service line to actuate :and control the operation of a fuel valve to regulate the fuel supply to the burner at a time when maximum heat is required.

These and other objects of the invention will become more apparent from a consideration of the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters designate like parts and in which Figure 1 is a front elevational view partially in section of a combined hot water heating, storage system, and control valve embodying the principles of this invention; Figure 2 a top plan view of the valve mechanism; Figure 3 a cross-sectional view of the valve taken along the lines IIIIII of Figure 1; and Figure 4 a front elevational View partially in section of a modified form of tank and coil structure.

With reference to Figure 1 of the drawings, the structure therein illustrated comprises a hot water storage tank I preferably made of copper, brass or some other non-corroding metal of relatively thin gage to render the wall structure sensitive to the heat surrounding it, the tank I being connected at 2 and '3 to a coil generally designated by the reference numeral 4.

Coil 4 is of varying pitch, the adjacent coils being spaced a relatively wide distance apart in the region of the tank I and being of a closer pitch setting below the tank I. Coil 4 is provided with a connection at 5 for a smaller coil 6 disposed within the large coil 4, both coils 4 and 6 being connected to a 'Y, Figure 2, leading to a valve generally designated by the numeral 8.

The tank I and coils 4 and :6 are disposed within a housing of a double wall structure comprising walls 9 and iii, the walls being spaced by indented portions I! to provide air insulation between the housings for the purpose of reducing the loss of heat by radiation from the coil and tank I.

A third Wall 52 is provided at the bottom portion of the housings 9 and i0, this wall extending from a burner I3 to nearly the bottom of the tank I this being in the hottest zone of the heating chamber to prevent loss of heat by radiation and. cause the heat to pass upwardly around the coil 4.

It is to be noted that the coil in the region of the storage tank I is-oi such an outer diameter as to contact with the inner wall of housing It) and the outer wall of tank i, this construction being desirable for the purpose of forming a spiral flue or air chamber to conduit the product of combustion from the burner I3 upwardly to a stack or opening M at the top of the housing.

Tank l is connected through a union to a water supply line 5 leading to a source of supply H, a valve [8 being disposed in the line to shut off the supply for the purpose of making pipe connections of the heater and coil with the supply line and with a service line.

A connecting T I!) is connected in the supply line and through a short length of piping con sisting of nipple 20, and an L 2| is connected to a port 22 of the valve 8 and the valve in turn is connected through union 23, 24 and a Y-conne'ction 25 to the ends of coils 4 and 6, these ends being shown at 26 and 21 in Figure 2 of the drawings.

The valve 8 is constructed of a housing 28 having a connection 29 to a service line such as a spigot 30 which may be remote from the tank as is usual in heating systems.

A sleeve 3| is disposed in a valve housing 28, the sleeve being provided with a cut-out portion 32, Figures 1 and 3, and a port 22 leading to the Water supply line connection 19.

The valve sleeve 3| is pro-vided with a bottom plate 33 having ports 34 and 35 therein, these ports permitting the flow of water from above the bottom plate 33 to the valve chamber in the housing 28 from which it flows through the connection 29 through the service line 30.

The valve sleeve 3| is provided with a depending stem portion 36 around which is disposed a coil spring 31 that seats on a partition 38 of the valve housing and at its other end abuts against the bottom plate 33 of the valve sleeve 3|, the coil 31 functioning to normally bias the valve sleeve in an upward direction.

Valve housing 28 is provided with an extension 39 in which is disposed a fuel valve 45, the valve being connected on one side to a pipe 4| leading to a source of gaseous fuel controllable by a valve 42 and having its other side connected by a pipe 43 to the burner I3, the burner |3 being provided with an air passage 44 in which the fuel line is disposed whereby an adequate supply of air is conducted through the burner to co-mingle with the fuel passing through the pipe line 43 in which is connected a valve 45.

In Figure 4 is shown a modified form of heater construction consisting of a storage tank 50 having a heating coil 5| connected at the top thereof by the fitting 52, the coil 5| extending into the heater chamber 53 from which it projects outwardly to a connection 54 with the valve 8. Tank 50 is also provided with a connection 55 at the bottom thereof leading to the elbow 2| of valve 8. A heating coil 56 is connected at its lower extremity to the storage tank connection 55 by a T 51, the coil extending upwardly to a source of cold water supply generally designated at 58.

The coils 5| and 56 are separated by a cylindrical housing 59 and the coil 56 is further provided with an outer housing or shell 60 forming an air space in which the coil 56 is disposed. The burner l3 with its pilot burner 47 is disposed below the heating coil 5| within a housing 6| which is spaced from the housing 59 by means of the projections 62.

The purpose of the construction of Figure 4 is to utilize the heat losses by radiation from the storage tank and inner coil in preheating the cold water passing downwardly through the coil 56.

The operation of the above described water heating system is briefly as follows: The valve 40 is provided with a port 46 which permits a small quantity of gas to pass from the fuel line 4| through the valve into the line 43 connected to the burner l3, said fuel being burned in a pilot burner 41.

The pilot burns a flame of sufficient size to produce some heating effect on the coils 4 and 6, and as the water in the coil heats, it passes upwardly and into the tank I at the top thereof, thence downwardly to the connection 3, pipe line l6, thence at the T l9, it passes downwardly through the connection 2| into valve 6 into which it enters at port 22. From valve 8 it passes through the connection 25 to the bottom of the coil and then recirculates upwardly to the top of the tank and so on, continuously heating the water and raising the temperature thereof. When the service connection 30 is opened, the liquid from the chamber of the valve housing 28 will be drawn off, thereby relieving the pressure below the bottom plate 33 of the valve sleeve 3| causing the pressure of the flow in the connections 2| and 25 to depress the valve sleeve downwardly, thus shutting off the port 22 that leads to the cold water supply, and causing the flow of water only from the bottom of the coil and downwardly through ports 34 and 35 to the valve chamber, thence to the connection 29 to the point of use at 30.

Simultaneously with the downward movement of the valve sleeve 3|, the valve stem 36 will age a stem 36a. of the gas valve 40, causing the latter to open and permitting a large v 1- ume of the gaseous fuel to flow from the connection 4| through the valve to the connection 43 and thence to the burner, where it is immediately ignited by the pilot flame 41 and generates an intense heat.

As previously pointed out, on account of the inner housing plate i2, very little heat will be lost around the boiler by radiation and the heat will envelope the coils 4 and G passing upwardly around the storage tank I, and by virtue of the spiral character of the coil 4 which contacts the housing I0 and tank I, the products of combustion will follow the spiral flue formed thereby, thus retarding its upward flow and assuring contact of the heat with all portions of the tank and coil surface.

The coil 4 contacts not only the housing wall II], but also the outer wall of the tank I, thereby making a flue that subjects the rising products of combustion to a spiral motion which retards its motion through the top opening l4, thus permitting the absorption of substantially all of the heat from the hot gases before they are emitted from the tank and housing.

When the flow to use through the connection 30 has been disconnected, the pressure on both sides of the bottom plate 33 of the valve sleeve 3| will be equalized, and coil spring 37 will again raise the valve sleeve 3| to the position shown in Figure 1 of the drawings, where port 22 will be opened, thus permitting the water to circulate through the coil and storage tank in the manner heretofore explained.

Also, the gas valve 40 is normally biased by a coil spring 40a to its closed position so that when the valve stem 36 is lifted, the valve 40 will automatically close, thus shutting off the main supply of the gaseous fuel while permitting a small quantity to pass through the port 46 to the pilot burner 41.

While I have shown the use of a double coil below the storage tank, it is, of course, evident that a single coil may be employed, and while I have shown the coil as expanded in the region of the tank to a greater pitch than above the burner, many Variations of this design may be made within the spirit of the invention.

By providing the double wall around the coil and tank, and the triple wall in the region of the combustion chamber, the loss of heat by radiation is minimized and by utilizing the coil as a baffle between the housing and the heating tank, a spiral flue is established which retards the rising of the heated gases sufliciently to permit the absorption of the heat therefrom by the coil and tank.

The valve design is such that while it permits freedom of circulation of hot water between the coil and storage tank, it will positively shut off the source of supply from the bottom of the heating ,coil when the service connection is open thus assuring that heated water is withdrawn from the system as soon as the service connection is made.

In the operation of the device, the water in the relatively small and thin walled tank I will heat to a considerable degree by use of the pilot flame only, and when the fuel valve is open in the manner heretofore explained, the combustion of a large volume of gaseous fuel will produce substantially the same effect as the so-called instantaneous water heater permitting the withdrawal of hot' water of high temperature at a great velocity for a limited period, the temperature of the water dropping after the heated storage water has been consumed.

In the operation of the heater of Figure 4, the water will normally circulate as follows: When the faucet 30 is opened, water will flow from the bottom of the heating coil through the connection 54, thence through valve 8 to the connection 29 leading to the point of use 30, the water flowing from the coil 5| being drawn from the top connection 52 of the storage tank 5|], and the Water so withdrawn is replaced by cold water flowing from the source 58 down the coil 56 On the exterior of housing 59, thence through the connection 51 tothe straight 55 leading to the bottom of the storage tank 50.

When, the faucet 30 is shut off, water will circulate as follows: The water from the storage tank 5|) will flow downwardly through the straight connection 55, thence through the connection 51, the L 2| to the valve 8 to the connection 54 into coil 5|, thence upwardly around the outside of the storage tank 50 and into the tank at the top thereof to the connection 52. This circulation will continue indefinitely until water is again drawn from the faucet 30 at which time the preheated water will first be drawn from the bottom portion of coil 5| and then from the storage tank as previously explained.

Although one embodiment of the invention has been herein illustrated and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made in the details of construction without departing from the principles herein set forth.

I claim:

1. In a water heating and storage system the combination with a hot water storage tank of a heating coil connected to the top of said tank and having its other end connected to a valve mechanism, a pipe connection leading from the bottom of the tank to said valve mechanism, a burner below said coil and tank, a fuel line for said burner connected to said valve mechanism, said valve having connections to a source of water supply and a point of use and means in said valve for normally maintaining a flow passage between the tank and coil, said means being operative in response to the withdrawal of water to use for shutting ofi said first named passage and establishing flow from the bottom of the coil to the point of use.

2. In a water heating and storage system the combination with a hot water storage tank of a heating coil connected to the top of said tank and having its other end connected to a valve mechanism, a pipe connection leading from the bottom of the tank to said valve mechanism, a burner below said coil and tank, a fuel line for said burner connected to said valve mechanism, said valve having connections to a source of water supply and a point of use and means in said valve for normally maintaining a flow passage between the tank and coil said means being operative in response to the withdrawal of water to use for shutting off said first named passage and establishing flow from the bottom of the coil to the point of use, and being further operative in response to the withdrawal of water to use for opening the passage in the fuel line.

3. In a water heating and storage system the combination with a hot water storage tank of a heating coil connected at one end to the top of the tank and extending a substantial distance below said tank, said coil being partially wound around said tank, a housing surrounding said tank and coil spaced from the tank a distance corresponding to the thickness of the coil conduit, a burner beneath said coil, means for supplying cold water to the bottom of said tank, and valve mechanism interposed between the water supply and the lower end of the coil, said valve mechanism being provided with means therefor normally operative to maintain an open passage between the source of water supply and the bottom of the coil and being further operative in response to the withdrawal of the water to use for closing said passage and causing a reversal of flow through said coil.

4. In a water heating and storage system the combination with a hot water storage tank of a heating coil wound around said tank having one end connected at the top thereof and having its lower end extending a substantially distance below said tank and connected to a valve mechanism, a second coil disposed around said first named coil having its upper end connected to a source of water supply and having its lower end connected to a pipe connection leading from the bottom of the storage tank to said valve mechanism, a housing disposed between said inner and outer coils, and a housing disposed around said outer coil and heating means below said coils and within said housing, said valve mechanism being provided with means operative to normally maintain a flow passage between the bottom tank connection and the bottom of the inner coil and being further operative in response to the withdrawal of water from the system to reverse the flow through said inner coil.

HARRISON D. STERICK. 

